Thoughts on Decorating for Fall with What I Have

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

A couple days ago I was thinking about the change of season and how I actually just didn't want it to change. I told my husband that even in the summer, I have a hard time fully enjoying the sweetness of warmer weather because I'm already dreading the winter. Phew! It was one thing to tell my husband, but another to put it out here for you to read. Do you ever feel this way? Maybe not just about the weather, but seasons of life?

Then, something even more revealing came off of my lips. My husband tried to reassure me about the change of seasons by reminding me that it meant I could get out my fall decorations and redo some of the decor in the house. I sourly said, "I don't even want to decorate for fall, because I'm just going to put out all the same old decorations I've had for 5 years. No one wants to see the same thing every year!" He asked me who I meant by "no one" and I told him my blog readers, my friends who come over, and myself. I paused for a couple seconds and looked up at him. He lovingly reminded me that maybe this was an issue of my heart. Darn, he was right ;)

After thinking about this statement for a couple of days, God brought to mind a convicting couple of things.

1. The first is how I feel like I need new things in order to be approved of by others and feel good about myself. I like looking around and seeing new treasures, creating a new feeling in our home for a new season.

2. Second, I felt the need to have new things in order to be seen as a trendsetter or be deemed a good designer. I guess I look around Instagram and magazines and think that "good designers" or "seasoned bloggers" are always getting new things to show on their feeds and in their homes. I had this thought that in order to inspire people to decorate for a new season, I had to show them something they haven't seen in my home before.

Here's the thing though: I don't need anything new. We have all that we need (and more). I don't need to show you new fall decorations here in order to inspire you. In fact, maybe I will inspire you more by using my old stuff, because perhaps a lot of you are in a similar place as we are. We're saving for a house, currently live in an apartment and don't see a reason to buy small decorations to fit the apartment when we won't even be here next year.

So, I've been praying that God will change my heart into one of thankfulness, not comparison or wanting, and instead be glad for the decorations I do have. This may sound super ridiculous or silly to be talking about being grateful for fall decorations...and maybe it is! But money and stuff often reveal my heart and talking about heart issues aren't ridiculous or silly.

This month, like I mentioned in my September Goals post on Monday, I want to savor summer. Really, truly live in the moment and experience the joy of our warm days, get outside and enjoy them. And then when the cooler weather comes, I want to work on my attitude surrounding that, and do what my husband reminded me to do: find joy in decorating our apartment for fall, even if I am using the same decorations ;) I have a small (like, $50 small) budget to get a couple fall things like pumpkins and flowers for the porch, fall scented soap (Mrs. Meyers brand, of course!) and a fall candle, so I'm going to focus on being content and grateful for that (and try to stretch that budget as far as possible ;)) Then I want to get creative with the pieces I do have, maybe moving them around from where I usually put them. I want to share that process with you, since I'm guessing a lot of you can relate!

It's funny how calendar seasons can often coincide with seasons of our hearts. I want to cultivate thankfulness in this next season, decorating with what I have and knowing that's enough.

I have felt that way before too. There are a lot of ladies on instagram who buy cart fulls of new things every season and that is just not practical for most of us. I think even buying one new small piece can make a difference, even if it's just from the Target dollar spot. :) I have learned from older ladies in my family that even just moving different items in your home each season can give the house a different feel. My husband's grandmother used to move her lamps about each season and even had different pictures she would pull out. It was the same old stuff just in a different way. :)

I hear you-- the constant new purchases kill my soul sometimes, making me feel like I'm not good enough, don't have the best stuff, can't afford to shop like those ladies, etc. When really, that doesn't matter or determine my worth or my home's beauty.

Yes, I love that idea and that's exactly what I'm planning to do! I'm actually not going to look back at pics from last year's fall decor so I can try to put things in different places than I did last year. I love the lamp story! How sweet :)